Baekban Gihaeng (백반기행), dubbed as Huhchelin, is Huh Young Man's Korean food guide like Michelin, offering an unparalleled culinary journey through authentic Baekban meals and the heart of Korea's diverse restaurant scene.
Everybody knows that Michelin is a title given to a restaurant by the Michelin organization to show that it is of especially good quality, with the highest number of stars being three.
백반기행(Baekban Gihaeng, TV Series by TV Chosun)
“If France has a Michelin restaurant guide, Korea has a “Huh Young Man's Korean Food Guide (Baekban Gihaeng, 식객 허영만의 백반기행).” 백반(Baek-ban, 白飯) literally means 'white rice', but it usually refers to 'Korean foods served with rice, soup, and several side dishes' in restaurants" - Joanne Lee, CEO K-FoodPioneer
There are probably very few foreigners who know that Huh Young-Man, the greatest cartoonist and the author of Sikgaek (식객, Food Traveler). I got a lot of inspiration from Korean food and traditional liquor through his cartoon called Sikgaek very popular in the '70s to '90s. Some people may think the TV program “Huh Young Man's Korean Food Guide” is for old school, but Huh’s Baekban Gihaeng is truly an introduction to Korean restaurants that Koreans like the most. Especially now that food images on Instagram and TikTok have become the main selection criteria for restaurants where people line up to eat, why do I pay attention to “Huh Young Man's Baekban Gihaeng?
식객 (食客. Food traveler, Cartoon series, 2002-2008, Published by Gimyoungsa)
It is no exaggeration to say that the local restaurants that Mr. Huh Young Man has been introducing for several years, even in remote areas of the country's eight provinces, are the most comprehensive introduction to Korean restaurants serving authentic Korean foods. Every Korean - young or old, male or female, rich or poor- would like to visit the restaurants visited by Huh at least once when he or she travels. I look forward to the publication of the English version as the global craze for Korean food increases worldwide.
Say, you have already tried out Tteokbokki, ramen, Korean fried chicken, snacks from Gwangjang Market, etc. Then, what’s next? Go grab Huhchelin, Huh’s Michelin guide “Huh Young Man's Baekban Gihaeng.” I think that the books are the most useful and comprehensive guide for Korean travelers, foreign tourists, or professional chefs who want to visit restaurants across the country from Seoul to Jeju. I plan to introduce “some of the restaurants by region” to K-FoodPioneers on a weekly basis.
Check out #허영만 백반기행 on the YouTube channel.
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